At Monday’s work session, Hall County Commissioner Bobby Banks recommended interim Elections Director Charlotte Sosebee-Hunter be appointed Hall County’s elections director.

Sosebee-Hunter has acted as interim elections director since December 2006, when Anne Phillips Lea, elections director at the time, retired.

"It’s just time," Banks said. "We’ve never left someone interim for two years."

The Hall County Superior Court is responsible for the appointment, and Banks suggested the commission write a letter of recommendation to Hall County Chief Superior Court Judge Andrew Fuller on Sosebee-Hunter’s behalf.

"The chief judge makes the recommendation for the elections director and chief voter registrar and then he presents that to the grand jury for their concurrence. The November grand jury has been in session about a week. He has not gotten there with this yet, but plans to take care of it shortly," said Court Administrator Reggie Forrester.

Forrester said though Sosebee-Hunter’s appointment is not yet official, he feels confident it will happen soon.

"He has left Charlotte Sosebee-Hunter there through this election and plans now to ... discuss this with the grand jury during their November term for their concurrence of her appointment, and we will remove the interim at that time, if that concurrence occurs. We don’t foresee any reason it wouldn’t. She’s done a great job out there," Forrester said.

Forrester said Fuller wanted to take his time and get the election completed before making an appointment.

Banks said he feels Sosebee-Hunter has proved she is a good fit for the job.

"The superior court judge supposedly wanted to see how she did in the elections," Banks said. "But she’s been doing the job excellent, and it’s just time for her to be appointed elections director."

Sosebee-Hunter said she would be happy to have the appointment after spending so much time with the Elections and Registration Office.

"It’s been a long time coming," Sosebee-Hunter said. "But the interim was not an issue for me."

Sosebee-Hunter said she loves her job and is honored to continue in an official capacity.

"It’s rewarding of course, and makes me feel like I’ve accomplished something. I’m excited about it, and I hope that I can make the county proud," Sosebee-Hunter said.